On behalf of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors I would like to note with great sadness the passing of former Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty.
All Ministers and Central Bank Governors join with me in expressing our deepest sympathies to Jim’s wife, Christine Elliott, and children, John, Galen, and Quinn, and to the people of Canada.
Jim was a man of strong principles and held firm to his core values.
As one of Canada’s longest serving Finance Ministers, he made an enduring and significant contribution to Canadian public policy and to the wellbeing of the Canadian people.
As Finance Minister through one of the most challenging periods in modern economic history, his hard work and leadership were instrumental in helping to shape the recovery and in charting Canada’s path back to surplus. At all times Jim retained his refreshing honesty and good humour.
While I have known Jim for a number of years, I only had the pleasure of being part of the G20 with Jim for less than a year. I very much enjoyed working with him and benefited from the depth of his expertise and wisdom, as did the G20 itself in the eight years he was part of the group.
I recently told him how sorry I was we would not be working together at these meetings and how much I had enjoyed our interactions outside the G20 context.
We all very much regret the fact that Jim had so little time to share with his family after announcing his retirement from public service.
We share the grief of all Canadians on this very sad occasion.